Thanks, CM Punk, for bringing me back to wrestling..... - 4/9/12

For a large part of my childhood, I was an unabashed professional wrestling fan. Every Monday night (and then every Thursday as well) I would turn my television to RAW or Smackdown, loyally following the WWF/WWE. There would be some ECW in there as well on those late Saturday nights when "The Land of Extreme" was syndicated on MSG. But as time went on and I aged out of the target demographic, I found myself not following the WWE the way I used to.

There are plenty of circumstances that played a role in this. (1) By simply growing up, you tend to have less free time on your hands. Work and a burgeoning social life play a large role in that. (2) Aging also brings you to a point where you just don't find some of the angles as entertaining as you once did. (3) The brand extension/invasion angle, a storyline with infinite amounts of potential, was handled terribly. Injuries, pride, and poor writing were just a few of the culprits there. (4) The WWE's presence in social media and amount of multimedia viewing options are so wide-spread that you don't need to watch the shows regularly to keep up with all of the storylines. (5) Many of the stars that made wrestling mainstream during the Attitude Era were either approaching the twilight of their careers or had already packed it in. New stars had to be created. (6) On top of all that, there was then the death of Chris Benoit. This would forever change the way the entire wrestling world did business. The WWE changed all of its programming to TV-PG. Independents that emphasized blood and gore suddenly found themselves struggling for venues and dollars. So on top of the fact that new stars needed to be groomed, those stars had to tweak their gimmicks to become more family-friendly.

Every year when WrestleMania comes around, it usually generates enough buzz to keep you watching a little longer but then you tend to fall off again. But something feels different this year, very different...

WrestleMania had three incredible main events this year. Each one of those matches had a strong storyline, compelling characters, and good wrestling. Watching all of the lead-in to WrestleMania this year, I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time. I was genuinely excited to watch wrestling again! Now, Rock/Cena got most of the air time, seeing as it was billed as the "once in a lifetime" match. And the "End of an Era" match between Triple H (my all-time favorite wrestler) and The Undertaker was truly an "Icon vs. Icon" situation with yet another icon (Shawn Michaels) serving as the special guest referee inside the Hell in the Cell. These matches were excellent and certainly captivated me but I have to be honest. There was one match that truly got me back into wrestling...CM Punk & Chris Jericho for the WWE Championship. As a matter of fact, I really have to credit the rise of CM Punk for bringing me back to the WWE.

Heading into 2011, Punk had a few World Title runs but none of them really cemented him as a bonafide main eventer. The potential had always been there. Punk was THE draw during his time in Ring of Honor. He was an instant hit when he came to WWE and became the ECW Champion within a year. He then won Money in the Bank not once but twice. He cashed in both times to become the World Heavyweight Champion but something about his runs still felt empty. The fear of many wrestling fans (myself included) was that Vince wasn't ever going to give the Punk the chance he deserved (and needed) to prove that he could be THE draw in the WWE. When summer rolled around, it was clear that Vince was past his big man fetish and willing to give true wrestlers another chance at being the face of the WWE.

Punk had an expiring contract and a free pass on the microphone. Punk dubbed the mic his personal "pipe bomb" and went off. Punk has lots going for him: his charisma, his wrestling ability, his mic skills, and the fact that he himself is a die-hard wrestling mark. He loves everything about the business and it is obvious to anyone who watches him perform. Fans respond to that, plain and simple. Punk was allowed to tell it like it is on the mic every Monday night. His verbal posturing and the fact that he was the anti-Cena afforded him a WWE Title shot at Money in the Bank in July. Punk played the angle perfectly, repeatedly stating that he would win the title and then leave the company unless they started treating him like the superstar he was. The pay-per-view was in Punk's hometown of Chicago, always a rabid and knowledgable fan base. Punk defeated Cena in an excellent match and then walked out of the company with the WWE Championship. When you throw in the hiring of Triple H as the on-screen COO, the WWE was once again on fire, pulling us right back in!

But it was the return of Punk a few weeks later, new contract in hand, that truly brought me back. When "Cult of Personality" hit and Punk walked out to interrupt Cena, it was a moment that truly took me back to the glory days. This was Attitude but better! It was Attitude that could actually wrestle and didn't need to bleed everywhere to get an audience! Punk continued to run roughshod over the company, entertaining us all the way through. His ongoing WWE Title run has galvanized him as the main eventer and a major drawing card/moneymaker. Punk's WWE Title match against Chris Jericho at WrestleMania XXVIII was easily the match of the night, pure wrestling at its finest.

Punk has spoken to those of us who truly love wrestling. He doesn't refer to the locker room as "sports entertainers." He references obscure wrestlers. He brought the old WWF ice cream bars back from oblivion. Every time Punk comes through the curtain you know you're getting 110% effort and a great show. Vince has given him the platform to put up or shut up and Punk has proven over and over again that he is indeed "The Best In The World" at what he does.

For me, it feels a lot like 2004. Pure wrestling ruled the Smackdown universe as Eddie Guerrero and Kurt Angle were headlining WrestleMania XX for the WWE Championship alongside RAW's Chris Benoit, Triple H, & Shawn Michaels for the World Heavyweight Championship. The Undertaker ended his four-year run as the badass biker and returned to his "Deadman" roots. JBL was a legitimate heel. John Cena's star was just beginning to rise. Randy Orton, Batista, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam solidified the mid-card. It was a great time to be a true wrestling fan.

Really, I just want to say thank you. Thank you, CM Punk, for bringing wrestling back to the forefront and back to the true fans. May the "pipe bombs" continue dropping...courtesy of "The Best In The World."

A few other notes:

1. The greatest postseason in sports is about to begin as the NHL regular season concluded on Saturday. The two-month quest for Lord Stanley's Cup is an intense journey that showcases the best in its competitors. Looking at the field, it's hard to believe that both the Atlantic Division (Devils, Rangers, Penguins, Flyers) and Central Division (Red Wings, Predators, Blues, Blackhawks) both had four teams finish with over 100 points during the regular season. As per usual, there are plenty of questions. Which Roberto Luongo will show up for the Canucks? Can the Sharks actually take the next step? Can the Bruins repeat? Are the Rangers for real? Will the Coyotes continue winning despite their tenuous ownership situation? Can the callow Blues make up for their inexperience with grit and determination? Will the Penguins/Flyers series have more goals or fights? As for Jersey's Team, you know I'll be there next week for Games 3 & 4! The Devils return to the postseason after a one-year hiatus to take on the Southeast Division champion Florida Panthers. Game 1 is Friday in Miami. Let's Go Devils!

2. Spring football has arrived and it is glorious. Colleges around the country are hitting the fields for their allotted 15 practices and the annual rite of passage known as the spring game. ESPN will once again quench my thirst for spring ball, televising the spring games of ten different colleges. Sports Illustrated also ran a great article on Arkansas running back Knile Davis and his recovery from last season's gruesome leg injury. Davis is being touted as a Heisman hopeful and Arkansas has made its way onto practically every preseason watch list. Of course, all of that was before head coach Bobby Petrino was put on adminstrative leave relating to his motorcycle accident. Gotta love those spring ball coaching storylines.

3. Major League Baseball is back. Opening Day is always exciting but after that I don't tend to tune into baseball until early June, after spring ball and the Stanley Cup Playoffs have reached their dramatic conclusions. The Mets looked like a totally different club than the one that stumbled to the finish last season, sweeping the Atlanta Braves on opening weekend. When you couple that with the Yankees dropping three straight to Tampa Bay, that's great news for Mets fans. Naturally, Yankee fans were quick to point out that the last time the Bronx Bombers started the season 0-3 was 1998...the same year they won 114 games and the World Series. Bottom line, this small sampling means a lot more to the Mets than the Yankees. Plus, Tampa Bay has what may be the best rotation in baseball so there's no shame in struggling at the Trop.

4. Am I the only one who finds Dwight Howard's entire 2011-2012 season quite comical? He wants out of Orlando. He doesn't want to go to LA. He wants to go to Jersey. He waffles. He drops his opt-out clause. He feuds with coach Stan Van Gundy. And through it all, he continues to put up ridiculous numbers. In the last two seasons, he has 35 games with 20+ points and 20+ rebounds. The next-closest player (Kevin Love) has just 15. While I have tremendous respect for his game, I've had enough of this speculation over his future. Although Howard hasn't blatantly stoked the rumor mill, he hasn't done much to break it up either. And I don't think feuding with your coach is going to do your "Q" rating any favors. Yet he just keeps producing. I will give him credit for one thing though. He said he didn't want to go to LA and mirror Shaquille O'Neal's career path. I respect that.

I will leave you with a picture from the Smackdown taping I went to a few weeks back. Enjoy "The Best In The World" taking a knee on the ramp as he makes his entrance.

Until next time.

- Meech

It's the QB Shuffle..... - 3/21/12

I can't recall many offseasons where so many quarterbacks changed addresses or so many NFL teams predicated their entire off-season gameplans on the quarterback position. But the reality is this: The NFL, now more than ever, is a quarterback-driven league. The game and its rules are designed to encourage the vertical passing game. Without a steady hand at the quarterback position, teams are destined to be perennial losers. Just ask the Washington Redskins.

Before I get to the big Bronco named Peyton, let's take a look at some of the other signal-caller moves. Green Bay backup Matt Flynn heads to Seattle to compete with Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job. I think Flynn's deal is low-risk. It's only a 3-year deal, allowing both parties flexibility depending on his performance. Head Coach Pete Carroll has publicly declared Flynn will compete with Jackson for the starting job, defusing much of the potential pressure. Flynn is a career backup, starting just one season in the last eight...although it was a national championship-winning season at LSU in 2007. Should be interesting to see how the 25-year-old Flynn handles the situation as his arrival in Seattle seems eerily similar to a 26-year-old Matt Hasselbeck arriving in Seattle from Green Bay in 2001. I bet the Miami Dolphins will be keeping a close eye on this situation as well, after passing on Flynn in free agency.

The 'Fins lost out on Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn. They are now hoping Matt Moore can develop while bringing in 34-year-old former Jacksonville QB David Garrard for some competition. Perhaps drafting Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill (who played for 'Fins OC Mike Sherman) in the #8 slot next month is the answer. I wonder how those people that paid for the "Manning to Miami" billboard are feeling right now.

Kyle Orton heads to Dallas to back up Tony Romo. Brady Quinn heads to Kansas City to back up Matt Cassel. The Jets give Mark Sanchez an extra $20 million as an apology for flirting with Peyton Manning. And then they go out and trade for Tim Tebow. I refuse to even get into my feelings on the Jets making this trade because the sheer logic of this move is ridiculous. And that's got nothing to do with Tebow himself. The ridiculousness is all on the Jets. Washington gives up three first-round picks for the chance to presumably draft Robert Griffin III. The Colts cut Peyton and have all signs pointed towards taking Andrew Luck with the #1 pick next month.

And then there's Peyton...

A lot of people are attacking Denver GM John Elway, saying he went after Manning just so he could oust Tim Tebow from the starting QB job. Tebowmania may have been great but let's look at this from a pure football perspective. John Elway did exactly what he did so many times as a player. He drove the Broncos down the field against all odds and won the game. Tebow is an incredible human being, a giving soul who the city of Denver will miss. But he is erratic at best. He completed 48% of his passes and everyone knows that a few sessions at UCLA each offseason are not going to be the magic elixir to all of Tebow's mechanical woes. Yes, there is a lot to be said for Tebow taking a 1-4 team to the playoffs and winning a playoff game in overtime. I also truly believe there is much to be said about Tebow's leadership, will to win, and contributions to locker room chemistry.

But he has serious trouble hitting 3-step and 5-step drops which are critical to the rhythm passing games that populate the NFL. The read option may have looked good for a bit but NFL defenses have tremendous speed and eventually the defensive schemes will also catch up. Plus, taking hits like that on a regular basis is sure to shorten Tebow's career. Just ask every running back over the age of 30.

Elway has made no secret he's not fond of Tebow but people are taking this the wrong way. Elway has never made any disparaging comments about Tebow the man. All of Elway's evaluations and opinions are strictly related to football. Elway's disdain for Tebow has nothing to do with Tebow's off-the-field habits or locker room presence. It is solely based around the reality that Tebow is a marginal quarterback who may or may not be able to put the Broncos over the hump a few years down the road. In short, he's not Manning.

The chance to get Peyton Manning is truly once-in-a-lifetime. If Manning is even 3/4 of the player he was before the neck surgeries, he's instantly better than a large chunk of the quarterbacks currently playing in the league. This is also a great situation for Manning. He remains in the AFC, a conference he knows inside and out. He has a player-friendly, defensive-minded head coach in John Fox. He has a young, up-and-coming offensive coordinator in Mike McCoy. He has a defense lead by Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil, and the incomparable Champ Bailey. He has a running back who can handle a load of quality carries in Willis McGahee and a young, dynamic receiver in Demaryius Thomas. Plus, he's got Elway, a man who won his two Super Bowls at ages 37 & 38. Elway knows exactly what Manning will need at this stage of his career to be successful and he will stop at nothing to give it to him. Already, the latest rumor has Jonathan Stewart possibly headed for a reunion with Fox (Fox was his coach in Carolina.)in Denver to help Manning out in the backfield. And with the cap space that Denver possesses, it's rumored that Manning's center, Jeff Saturday, may be headed to Mile High as well. No matter what happens from here, score a huge offseason victory for the Broncos...and Elway.

A few other thoughts:

- New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one year as a result of the NFL's investigation into the Saints' bounty program. GM Mickey Loomis was suspended for the first half of the season and former Saints, now Rams, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely. In an earlier post, I went into my feelings on this whole thing. No one should be surprised with the severity of these suspensions. I can only imagine what the commissioner will rule in regards to the players involved. This move, despite the talent on the roster, could destroy the Saints' season before it even gets started. New Orleans will have to scramble to figure out not only who will coach the team this season but who will make all the roster moves while Loomis is out. It's a shame that these things happen but the punishment should fit the crime. I'm pretty sure that losing your job (Commissioner Goodell said the suspensions will be without pay) is a pretty strong message that should get through some of the thick skulls that inhabit the NFL.

The St. Louis Blues are 40-12-8 since Ken Hitchcock took over as head coach. The Blues lead the NHL with 100 points and sit ahead of perennial Central Division and Western Conference heavyweight Detroit. St. Louis has no one on pace to score 60 points this season but have seven players who have scored over 30 points but with just one 20-goal scorer. This gritty outfit, lead by captain David Backes, makes few mental mistakes, has strong goaltending, and always seems to be able to make that 3-5 foot pass to clear the defensive zone and get out of trouble. Who they will play in the first round is unclear right now as the Western race is incredibly heated. The number four through eleven teams are separated by a mere ten points. Should be quite the fight to the finish out west.

Despite the loss of Fab Melo, Syracuse is still alive and well in the NCAA Tournament. The Orange will face Wisconsin in the Sweet 16. If the 'Cuse can handle the Badgers, they would await the winner of Ohio State/Cincinnati for a trip to the Final Four. With all the distractions that have threatened to take down the Orange, it's great to see them rallying around each other and continuing to push through in what could be a dream season.

You have to wonder what North Carolina's chances look like in the Midwest Region right now. The Tar Heels may have drawn Ohio in the Sweet 16 but without point guard Kendall Marshall, things could be troublesome. Plus, if they end up meeting Kansas in the Elite 8, it could very well amount to a road game in what is sure to be a pro-Kansas crowd in nearby St. Louis.

The Golden State Warriors retired the jersey of Chris Mullin this week, making his the sixth number to be raised to the rafters in Oakland. What should've been a night to remember turned into a strong statement by the Golden State fans as they strongly booed owner Joe Lacob. It's presumed this outburst was in direct response to the trade of top scorer Monta Ellis to Milwaukee. In reality, Golden State fans have about 30+ years of frustration brewing. I just wish they would've used another chance to let it out. Mullin was a great player and a great Warrior. He was also a member of the original "Dream Team." This night should've been solely about him and his contributions to the franchise. I have no problem with a fan base that is passionate enough to still fill the arena while voicing its displeasure with the direction of the franchise. A little better choice in timing would've been nice though.

The Washington Nationals announced Stephen Strasburg will be their Opening Day starter on April 5th. It's great for the Nationals and the game in general that Strasburg has fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery and will be able to take the hill for the opener. The NL East should be quite interesting this year. The Braves may have collapsed but they were the team to beat for most of the season last year. The Phillies are still the Phillies. The Nationals and Marlins had very productive offseasons and figure to be far more competitive this season. And the Mets...well, they're still the Mets.

Until next time.

- Meech

Hope springs eternal..... - 3/9/12

I think at this point we are all well aware of the insane amount of time coaching takes away from my posting. So no apologies, let's just get down to it.

We are almost knee-deep in one of my favorite times of the sporting year, the beginning of spring. It's the one season where all of my sporting loves seem to come together just right. Spring football at the college level. The NFL Draft. March Madness. The stretch run to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Spring training under the Florida & Arizona sun. The exciting conclusion of the English Premier League season. I don't think there are enough picture-in-picture displays to satisfy my sporting hunger come spring. So let's jump around.

-- The whole Peyton Manning saga intrigues me on a few levels. Of course, there is the obvious. Here is the man who is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and perhaps the biggest free agent to ever hit the open market. The records that he has set are too many to list. He single-handedly made the Indianapolis Colts relevant, bringing them unprecedented success on and off the field. But Manning's free agency really shines for one particular reason. Practically every other sport is playing games or matches right now while the NFL won't have any game action until August. Yet in the papers, on television, and all across the internet, the NFL (and Peyton Manning) is the lead story. Even when there is no football being played, the NFL still rules the sporting universe. Unbelievable!

Just like everyone else, I'm quite curious to see where Peyton ends up. There's a lot of push in this area to see the New York Jets make a run at him. Despite Mark Sanchez's struggles (And the fact that it's well-known I'm not exactly his biggest fan), I think the Jets should stick with him. A lot has been made about his regression in his third season but if you look at his numbers compared to Eli Manning's first three NFL seasons, they are actually quite comparable. Now, in no way am I suggesting that Sanchez is going to take a quantum leap to Eli's level of play. However, Sanchez hasn't had a losing season under center, has won four playoff games, and reached the AFC Championship Game twice. That has to count for something. Besides, didn't the Jets learn anything from the whole Brett Favre fiasco back in 2008?

It seems like almost every team in the league is interested in Peyton. Bottom line: He's going to go somewhere he can control the offense, has good receivers, has a strong running game, has a good offensive line to keep him upright, has a tough defense, and has a coach that isn't looking to make headlines all the time. My thoughts: Miami, Arizona, Kansas City (in that order)

-- It has been an absolute joy to watch Syracuse Basketball this season. The 31-2 Orange have set a school record for most wins in a season and a Big East record for most conference wins (17) along with an undefeated season at home in the Dome. Luckily, I was able to get up to the Dome for the SU/UConn game last month and see the Orange pick up the win. This is easily the deepest team head coach Jim Boeheim has ever had in his time on The Hill. It's possible that his second five could start for most other programs in the country. Syracuse should be a #1 seed in the Big Dance, possibly the #2 overall seed. Tonight's performance in the Big East Semis was a bit troublesome though. Cincinnati forced the 'Cuse to the perimeter and (as we've seen in the past) it's not always pretty when Syracuse falls in love with the three. The Orange are tremendous in transition and need to keep that uptempo pace going while gashing inside in the half-court game. I'm sure Jimmy B will get everything squared away for the start of the Big Dance next week and what will hopefully be a return to New Orleans for the Final Four. And we all know what happened the last time the 'Cuse was in New Orleans!

-- I can go on for days about "Jersey's Team" and I have done just that in this very blog but I'll keep it to a few quick notes for now. With 81 points, the Devils have already matched their point total from last season's disappointing year. Rookies Adam Henrique and Adam Larsson are healthy and have done a tremendous job stepping into big roles this year. Ilya Kovalchuk has put the team on his back recently and is lighting the lamp the way we all expected him to when he signed his $100 million deal. David Clarkson has been a goal-scoring surprise. Patrik Elias continues to be a consistent source of points and still remains one of the most underrated forwards in the league. And of course there's still Marty being Marty in goal. The thing that I'm the most excited about is the fact that with Pete DeBoer at the helm it actually looks like we have a system in place that is built for the long haul. Lou and his quick trigger finger when it comes to coaches has been frustrating. It's nice to see a guy who I believe is a great fit for the organization going forward behind the bench and is succeeding in a big way. Hopefully, this will be a sign of great things to come for this season and beyond at "The Rock."

-- Maybe I should be more fired up about the NFL uncovering the New Orleans Saints' bounty program but truth be told, I'm just not incredibly fired up about this. I agree whole-heartedly that paying bonuses to deliberately injure players after the whistle is terrible. It goes against the spirit of the game and good competition. But football is a violent game and I'm not sure if all of the hits in question that have been running on highlight shows recently really fall under the umbrella of this bounty program. I have no doubt that the commissioner will come down much harder on the Saints than he did on the Patriots for Spygate. The penalties are warranted and the idea of turning players into assassins after the whistle is appalling. But in between whistles, defenders are going to do everything they can to hit somebody...as they should.

-- The firing of Andre Villas-Boas highlights what has been a tremendously disappointing season for Chelsea in the EPL. A quick look at the league table and it doesn't seem like the Blues are having a terrible season. But this year has been filled with in-fighting, underperforming stars, and uncharacteristically bad losses. There's still some time left for the Blues to atone for this mess of a season. The new 5-year deal for 24-year-old Brazilian midfielder Ramires and a 2-0 win over Birmingham City to advance to the FA Cup Quarterfinals are two good things to focus on going forward.

One other EPL observation. A few weeks back the Liverpool/Tottenham Hotspur game was on ESPN. I have to give props to Tottenham Hotspur. I don't think I've ever seen such a great display of defensive soccer. The amount of clearances and blocked shots was mind-boggling. The Spurs currently sit in third in the EPL table and if they keep playing defense like that, I have a very hard time seeing them going anywhere but up.

-- WrestleMania XXVIII is just weeks away. John Cena vs. The Rock, Triple H vs. The Undertaker (with Shawn Michaels as guest ref) in Hell in a Cell, & CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho for the WWE Championship highlight the card. I believe the Punk/Jericho match can steal the show. They are two of the best technical wrestlers I've seen in a long time and I can only imagine what the two of them are capable of in the ring together. I have a tremendous amount of respect for both men and am eagerly awaiting their WWE Title match. I'm also beyond thrilled that Punk finally gets to main event the biggest show on the WWE calendar. I will also admit that CM Punk has firmly entrenched himself in the list of my Top 5 favorite wrestlers.

The fact that Triple H is my all-time favorite wrestler is well-documented. Regardless, I'm still not completely thrilled with the fact that he will have a rematch with The Undertaker at 'Mania. I'm further upset by the fact that Shawn Michaels will be the guest referee in this Hell in a Cell match. HBK had two tremendous matches with 'Taker on the 'Mania stage and I would hate to see the legacy of those two contests tainted by his involvement in this contest. Also, for as big of a Triple H fan as I am, I believe the WWE should keep Undertaker's undefeated streak intact, allow him to go 20-0 at 'Mania, and then ride off into the sunset. Two things to keep in mind though: 1) For all the hoopla surrounding The Undertaker and the Hell in a Cell, the harsh reality is that Triple H is the man who has absolutely owned the structure. Triple H's Hell in a Cell record is unparalleled and he owns HIAC victories over Mick Foley, Chris Jericho, & Kevin Nash, just to name a few. 2) Can anyone else see DX reuniting and ending The Streak?

-- I'm impressed with the optimism of New York Mets manager Terry Collins. The financial turmoil surrounding the team isn't exactly a secret. Yet, he has built up tremendous equity in the clubhouse and truly believes the team can contend, even with a reduced payroll and recovering stars. We'll see how optimistic Collins is after the first losing streak of the season finds its way inside the moved-in Citi Field fences.

-- If you're looking for a good read on what is right about college athletics, click on the link for a phenomenal ESPN story on USC quarterback Matt Barkley: http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7649001/matt-barkley-happy-return-usc-trojans-college-football

-- Final Thought: Did anyone think that at this point in the NHL season the team with the most points in the league would be the St. Louis Blues?

-- Until next time.

-- Meech